


Everything Happens for a Reason

by commandershakarian



Series: Mass Effect one shots [16]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Angst, Ashley Williams - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Mass Effect 3, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-05-24 12:46:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6154160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandershakarian/pseuds/commandershakarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard reminisces with James about her friend, Ashley.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything Happens for a Reason

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the finished commission for @lightfiends of her lovely Kara Shepard and James Vega! I’m honored that you wanted me to write for Kara again. :D She is fun and absolutely adorable.

The pictures on the wall were almost daunting. After all of the plans she’d made for the tattoo, now that she was here in the shop, Kara Shepard wasn’t entirely sure if she was ready. Pulling her fiery hair out of her face, she secured it with a rubberband, strands falling into her face. She ignored them. Flipping through the enormous art book on her lap, she sighed when nothing caught her eye. This was going to be harder than she thought. As if life wasn’t already difficult for the famous Commander Shepard. Something as simple as picking a tattoo design was going to trip her up.

The war against the Reapers had progressed farther than she’d expected. The sentient machines had begun to land on alien planets. The destruction wasn’t easy to curb. Even now, turians were trying to save Palaven with the help of the krogan. Kara still hadn’t heard any news of Earth except for the fact that the resistance was putting up one hell of a battle. She needed to win this, after everything, she _had_ to.

Her heart ached for Earth, for Anderson, for the men and women who weren’t going to make it. If the Council had heeded her warnings about the Reapers in the beginning, this war might not have even happened…

The door to the tattoo shop opened a few minutes later, the little bell dangling above clanging as the top of the door hit it. She caught sight of James Vega entering, grinning as he waved at the man behind the counter. He’d recently been accepted into the N7 program, an honor for any soldier. She hadn’t expected his entry into the program to mean as much as it did to her. Professionally, she was proud of him. He was an amazing soldier who had worked hard and gave everything he had. He was strong, brave, one hell of lieutenant. Personally, well that was a completely different story.

James had worked closely with her when she’d been grounded in Vancouver. She’d developed more than a little crush during that time. Now that they were back on the Normandy, and she was technically his boss, it made things difficult. But her feelings hadn’t changed for him. Apparently, neither had his.

James smirked when he noticed her sitting in one of the stiff backed plastic chairs. He had an infectious smile. One that lit up any room he walked into. She _loved_ his smile. “You made it, _Lola_.”

Kara flashed a smile, her heart doing that little flip flop thing it did whenever he was around. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Putting the art book she’d been browsing on the chair beside her, she glanced up at him. “Do you know where you’re getting it?”

“I’m thinking of going big. Maybe covering most of my back?” Gesturing toward the book she’d abandoned, he raised an eyebrow. “Make a decision yet?”

Kara shrugged. “No. I want one for Ashley. She’s a friend I lost… a while back. I’m just not sure of what.”

James’s expression softened at her words. He understood. She knew he did. He’d lost just as much as she had. The pain would always be there and even though she couldn’t have done anything to save Ashley, no matter how many times she went over everything in head, she still felt guilty. She should have tried _harder_.

“If only I’d been in her place…” She whispered, not even realizing she’d done it. Or that he’d heard her. “Maybe she would be leading this fight instead of me.”

Grabbing her hand, James pulled her to her feet. She almost collided into him, but for once, she kept her balance. Wide eyed, Kara glanced up at him, not sure what she was expecting him to say. He certainly had her attention.

“Don’t _ever_ think like that, Kara, no matter how much you believe you should have saved her. Or even could have. I know it’s selfish of me to say, but I’m glad you’re here.” James touched her cheek gently, his fingers brushing against her soft skin. “I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t.”

His touch on her skin warmed her cheeks. She was known to turn bright red when embarrassed, her pale skin doing nothing to hide the color. With a quick intake of breath, she laughed lightly, averting her eyes, hoping he didn’t notice.

Of course, she didn’t get her wish.

James chuckled, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. When he pulled away, his hand took hers, exposing skin on the inside of her wrist. “This is where you should get it. Now, tell me about Ashley.”

Kara hesitated. She hadn’t spoken of Ashley in quite some time, not because she didn’t want to, but because she had no one else to talk with. Everyone who had known Ashley was busy saving their planets. It seemed almost unimportant. Now, she wasn’t so sure. It was definitely important to her.

James sat on one of the plastic chairs, pulling her down to sit beside him. He watched her facial expressions change from shock to confusion, and finally, to determination.

“She liked poetry. A lot. She was always quoting things, things I never understood, but I enjoyed hearing them.” Kara bit her lip as she pondered the past, remembering tiny pieces of her history aboard the first Normandy. “She was born into a military family. She was determined to make their name great again. She had a handful of sisters. She talked about them a great deal.”

James smiled as Kara rambled on, her happiness growing with each new tidbit she told him of the soldier she’d met on Eden Prime. He hadn’t been sure how she was going to respond to this trip down memory lane, but as he sat beside her, her hand gently gripping his, her face lighting up with each new word she spoke, James knew that he’d done something for her that she would have never done for herself.

Taking a deep breath, Kara smiled brightly, her sorrow and guilt over the loss of her friend easing. “James, thank you for this. I… didn’t know how much I needed it.”

Lifting her hand to his mouth, he pressed a kiss to it, enjoying the new blush that found her cheeks. “Listen, _Lola_. I get it. Losing someone you care about is difficult, painful. But this is what happens. We’re soldiers in a war. We’re going to lose more people whether we like it or not. What’s important is the people we save, the memories we make, and the friendships we have.” He paused as she let the words sink in. “From the sound of it, Ashley wouldn’t have wanted you to dwell on this. She knew the risks.”

“Everything happens for a reason.” Kara nodded, agreeing with every word he spoke. “And to think, if I hadn’t been grounded back on Earth, we may have never met.”

“ _Lola_ , I would have done anything to meet you. You’re Commander Shepard. You defeated Saren, saved the Citadel. Hell, you’ve taken down three reapers at this point.” James laughed as her nose crinkled in irritation. She didn’t like being reminded of all of the things she’d accomplished. To her, it meant that she was more than a mere soldier. Patting her on the knee, he tried to reassure her. “Don’t worry. When this is all over, you can tell the Council where they can stuff it.”

The smile returned to her pretty face. “I plan on it.”

He knew that she wouldn’t, but it was nice to see her relax after everything that had happened. “There’s always retirement.”

“I like the sound of that better.” A laugh was on her lips.

“Are you ready, then?”

Kara nodded, her emerald eyes finding the clerk behind the counter. He was waiting patiently for them. “I am and I know exactly what I’m going to get.” Taking James’ hand in hers, she stood. “Pink and white flowers. I think it’s a fitting tribute.”

James stood and draped his arm over her shoulder, kissing her hair. “I’m sure Ashley would have loved it.”

“I’m sure she would, too.” Kara responded, letting James lead her to the chair where she would get her first tattoo, the man she loved beside her and the memory her friend on her mind.


End file.
